Display size if on your Mac 6 hours a day or more?

[gpat]

I have the 13", use it for easily more than 6hrs/day and my sight didn't worsen one bit.

 

[talmy]

This post is going on two years old ... I notice a huge change since then in our offices, that being a lot more people have downsized to smaller, lighter notebooks, lots of 13" MBP's, Air's, Lenovo X series. Many hook up to a larger display in their offices and unplug daily to take there notebooks home.

Around here everyone (I'm in an engineering group) uses desktop computers with multiple monitors. Unchanged from two years ago. Managers use notebooks with docking stations. I hear them swearing at them all the time -- they aren't Apple products!

Personally, I've been using a 27" iMac plus an external monitor at my home office with a 13" MacBook for portability. The combination of the iMac + MacBook is a bit less expensive than a 15" + Thunderbolt display, yet gives a smaller portable package and more power at my desk.

 

[wineandcarbs]

The 13" is fine for me.

 

[fisherking]

i'm on my 13" mbp (sigh) all day, and am fine with it. "F.lux" is a really good app, btw, it modifies the screen light for nighttime use, makes it easier on the eyes.

i went from a 12" powerbook to my (now second) 13" macbook pro, and am as comfortable as can be... 😀

 

[williamdlc]

I have 13 inch and the 1280x800 is fine, but I started using an external monitor when I am at home. But I'm used to screens that are around 1280x800 / 1366x768, using the family's HP 1080p monitor hooked up to a Windows PC feels really weird to me.

 

[mushtama]

I have a 13" macbook pro, and for me it's brilliant due to portability as I can easily slip it in my bag and use it during lectures and what not. However, what I do on the laptop does not justify having the extra power of the 15" or 17"... although a 15" would be easier on the eyes as I spend much of my waking hours on the laptop. If I can afford it in the future, I'll get an external monitor 😀

 

[416049]

Mine's a 13" but when at home i hook it up to an external screen so like 4h off and 5h on external screen. Although i wouldn't have problems with using my 13" for 6+h either.

 

[throAU]

It depends WHAT you're doing.

My work machine (not a mac) is a 12.1" notebook. I have an external display currently, but ran without it for a couple of months to get more desk space.

I was fine - but most of what I do is Unix/Cisco netowork admin stuff.

If you're editing photos/video all day, a display that size will be crap. Whether its for 1 hr per day, or 18 hrs per day....


edit:
at my company, we have not bought very many desktops in the past 3-4 years. why? for a little extra, a laptop gives you

ability to work from home
built in UPS - no more lost work due to power cuts
ability to run a second screen fairly easily
if we need to ship a machine somewhere, it can be carried as hand luggage.

we already had a budget of say 1500/machine - rather than cut budget, we went to portables instead of cheaper desktops.



also, it depends how much you move around. at a desk all day = why not go for 17". if you're on the move all the time (from job to job), a 13" will be better.

 

[bdodds1985]

Not many voters yet I realize, but it's interesting the 13" hasn't made it over 20% in the Poll yet.

because it's personal preference. its a one pound difference between the 13" and the 15" and I have no idea what that has to do with the resolution?!?

I have a 15" Hi-Res AG and I can use it for hours without an external, but when I am able to, I use the external. Personally, I cannot wait to get my Dual TB Displays and stare into those 😱

 

[entatlrg]

When using my 11" for long periods you're looking down at quite an angle, it does strain the neck a little. I notice it more than I did with my 13" MBA.

In my experience if you're using a computer for long hours and don't like working in one spot being tied to a desk/display the 17" is the way to go.

I'm starting to like my laptops like I do my TV's ... the bigger the screen the better, unless you're mobile often of course, in that case the 11" is handy.